01: Total Eclipse
by alwaysuptonogood
Summary: Total Eclipse: the first episode of Season Three, with Marian. Marian survived the Holy Land, but what other casulaties were there? Robin/Marian.
1. Chapter 1

First chapter. FINALLY. :)

Sorry that the beginning of this series is kind of crap, but it soon changes - I'm not just shoving Marian into every possible moment of the series.

For those of you who don't know, the prologue to this story is called A Little Bit Different - A Different Start and you can find it on my stories page :) I suggest reading that first.

And this is the beginning of Series 3 with Marian =]

* * *

'Robin – stop!'

'You can't kill him!'

'No, Robin!'

Robin's running faltered and he turned to the others, a suddenly vulnerable look on his face as he glanced at each of them, avoiding Marian's eyes. She knew that he was going to do this. But still, what if he was killed? They had only just escaped death once, this couldn't happen again.

'He has to die,' he snapped. 'He almost killed Marian, he killed Will and Djaq. He deserves to die. Gisbourne dies today.' He grabbed Marian's hand and took a sharp breath.

'We go to Locksley – _now_.'

Robin ran all the way to Locksley, the others trailing behind him as fast as they could. Marian was fast enough to stay by his side, but once they reached Locksley, he dropped her hand and pulled his bow from his shoulder.

'Robin, you don't have to do this,' she said quietly, putting a hand on his cheek and trying to turn him to look at her.

He looked up at her with a pained expression.

'Yes, I do, Marian,' he said, his voice low and firm. 'I have to kill him. I'm making sure that this never happens again. It's bad enough that Will and Djaq . . .' he sighed. 'If he had killed you too, I'd have no life.'

Marian tried to say something but faltered. He was ridiculously stubborn when he wanted to be. 'Yes, you would. You'd still have England, and the King. And John, Much, All –'

'No, I wouldn't,' Robin said, copying her action and putting one of his hands on her cheek. 'There would be no point anymore.'

A door swung open opposite them and a young red headed girl stood there, looking at the sight in front of her curiously. Robin span around, arrow poised in her direction. The girl didn't even move; she simply stared on just as curious as she had been before. Marian shook her head impatiently and put a hand on Robin's arm, pushing his arrow down.

'Stop this, Robin, she will get scared.'

Robin lowered his bow shakily, not taking his eyes off the girl as he did. Then he suddenly dropped his bow by his side and kissed Marian quickly before pulling away and stroking her cheek once. Marian opened her mouth to say something, but it was too late. He let go of her, picked up his bow again and fired an arrow through Gisbourne's window. Much staggered out of the forest at that point, breathing heavily and quickly as Allen and John fell out behind him, Allen tripping over and onto Much. Marian turned to them, a desperate expression on her face.

This had to _stop_. They had just spent months travelling; Robin was in no fit state to go starting a fight. But he was set on this idea. And when Robin decided something, he wouldn't change his mind for any reason.

'Gisbourne!' Robin bellowed.

Allen grabbed Marian's arm and pulled her backwards so she was hidden from sight in the trees, but she tugged her arm away. However she didn't emerge from the trees, she watched as Robin stared at Locksley Manor.

'He's serious about this,' Much whispered. Marian nodded, not seeming able to find any words in herself. She couldn't help but play a single scene in her mind, one she had been dreading for months as they travelled back to England from the Holy Land. It was imaginary for the moment, but she had a feeling it would soon be reality. Robin, lay dying – seriously injured as Gisbourne raised a sword over him. But she didn't care about Gisbourne; he could die for all she cared now. He had tried to kill her. And she had spent all that time trying to convince Robin there was some good left in him . . .

'Robin's always serious, Much,' Allen muttered.

There was a series of bangs as Gisbourne emerged from the house, his hair much longer and much shaggier than it had been before. He staggered a bit, as though drunk, although Marian very much doubted that. He was clutching a sword though. That's what caught her eye first. His eyes travelled around the village, before coming into focus on the series of shadows where Marian, Much, Allen and John were hiding. But his eyes focused on Marian, who was staring at Robin in horror now. Then he lurched forwards in rage.

There were clinks and clanks of metal on metal as they fought. Marian tried to get to them, to get to Robin, to hurt Gisbourne – when John grabbed her and pulled her back into the shadows.

'No, let me go, John!' she snapped fiercely.

'No! He is stupid to be doing this, but he's doing this for you! If you go and get killed, the fight will just get _worse_, Marian.'

Marian struggled relentlessly but slowly came to a stop, turning to look up at John with wide eyes. Eventually, she sighed, lowering her tense arms. John loosened his grip on her, too, and Marian took the chance to try and run forwards again. This time it took Allan and John to keep her back. She glared at them.

'We need to help him!'

Allan looked down at the struggling woman in his arms before looking back at John. Marian was oblivious to it all, though, still struggling. Much had his hands on his head as he stared at Robin and Gisbourne fighting.

'John, maybe we should –'

'_No_.'

'But –'

'_No! Not Evangeline!'_

Marian stared, gaping, as Gisbourne grabbed the small red-headed girl from earlier, throwing her over his shoulder before starting to run up the hill. Robin tore after him and the villagers lagged behind, trying to keep up with the two men. Much looked over at John before shaking his head and starting to run after his 'master' and enemy.

Forgetting his job of restraining Marian, Allan tore after him, and John had no choice but to join them. Marian started running, too, and soon all of them were overtaking the villagers of Locksley as they raced to get to Robin and Gisbourne.

* * *

. . . and after this, everything changes :P

Please review! I promise that this will get much better. Seriously. Promise.

SERIES THREE WITH MARIAN IS UNDERWAY! (:


	2. Chapter 2

I'm sorry that this took so long - thank you all so much for your reviews! I officially love you all (:

* * *

Whilst she had definitely never loved Gisbourne, Marian had definitely . . . felt something for him. However, after being 'killed' by him once and then nearly killed by him a second time and watching two of her friends being killed by him merely moments later . . . Yes. The feelings had definitely ebbed away slightly, if not completely.

But that didn't mean she didn't still believe Guy of Gisbourne to have _some_ sort of form of a soul. And although she understood - and, even, to some extent, shared - Robin's feelings right then and there, she didn't want her . . . her _husband_ to go and kill the little humanity that Gisbourne withheld.

'He's . . . going to . . . to _kill_ him,' Much wheezed as they ran. He stumbled and grabbed a hold of John for support, but the latter was also running and because of this, Much tripped and went flying. None of them stopped, but it didn't really matter - within seconds he was back up and bounding besides them once more.

What seemed like an eternity in front of them, Marian could see two dots that were oh so obviously Robin and Guy; a crowd of Locksley villagers milled around them.

She didn't really want either of them to die . . . Least of all her HUSBAND . . . and they had barely been 'married' yet. Robin had been deep in depressive thought the whole way back to England, and the moment that they had landed back on English soil; this bloodthirsty, angry monster had taken over him.

'Oh, no . . . he's going to get himself killed - he's crazy, he's -'

'Much!' Marian hissed, narrowing her eyes at him as they entered the forest, their breathing irregular. 'Just shut _up_!'

'GISBOURNE!'

Her momentary relapse into normality was broken by Robin's bull-like roar and John groaned fearfully.

'Robin,' he murmured. And then they ran again.

By the time Robin and Guy had come to a halt and Marian, Much, Allan and John had caught up with them; they were having a heated discussion, Evangeline still flung over Gisbourne's shoulder.

'-she was _MINE_!'

Much and John both looked at Marian as if expecting her to try and hurtle back into the midst of everything again, but, surprisingly, she didn't. Because at that moment, it suddenly struck her how - how messed up this had all become. They were going to kill each other if she didn't do anything. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that her insides didn't boil with anger when Gisbourne spoke about her with such a possessive tone in his voice.

'. . . You stole her from me.'

Her eyes were drawn to her husband, who was advancing on Gisbourne slowly and carefully. His hair was shorter than it had been in the Holy Land; Gisbourne's longer and shaggier. It was a strange thing to notice, but at that moment, Marian's senses were heightened and she couldn't help but see the little things she had never noticed before . . .

'You had no right to take her from me!'

'She wasn't yours to take!'

Marian registered her mouth moving rapidly, shaping words that never really emerged. Much seemed to be on the brink of tears besides her.

A tall man, obviously of Church importance, approached them where they stood, another random fact Marian registered. As she did, she couldn't help but see the pity in the man's eyes, and she wanted, just for a moment to reprimand him. But then her own fingers brushed against the ring on her left hand and, as if by some abnormal force, her eyes snapped effortlessly back onto the scene in front of her.

'Where is she, Hood?' Gisbourne bellowed. He had let Evangeline go, Marian noticed, back to her parents. His expression was . . . it was terrifying. Those normally empty, pointlessly black eyes were alight with a fire Marian had never seen before, and she was quite glad she hadn't. It was beyond Guy's usual anger, and as for Robin . . . just watching his response made her heart break on a loop.

'My wife,' he said, chin raise pointedly as he tried to catch his breath, 'Is not anywhere you're going to see her, Gisbourne.'

A silence - silence that chilled out all other silences - broke out, seeming to even somehow stop the waterfall beyond rushing and gushing . . . and then Gisbourne let out an almighty roar and charged.

'No!'

Marian was unaware of herself scuffling within John's arms, trying to break free and get to the two murderous men before her . . . Robin had to calm down. If he didn't - no, this was going to end badly -

'Robin!'

Both Robin and Guy looked round at her simultaneously. Their expressions ranged from grief, to love, to heartbreak, to worry . . . and the thing that killed Marian most was that she only really loved one of them. Guy had been living in pretence for so many years now.

Her gaze was fixed on Robin. John was still trying to block her from everyone's view but failing miserably because, big as he was, he could not hide her at every angle. Robin seemed RL soften for just a moment as Marian shook her head slowly, aware of the dozens of eyes currently fixed on her. But the latter idea didn't bear much importance on her - never before had she cared so little about what people thought of her.

'Marian,' whispered Much's desperate voice in her ear. 'Maybe you should -'

It was Allan who shut him up. But there really was no need. Gisbourne seemed to have taken the eye contact with Marian badly and, with a cry that sounded suspiciously like a wounded scream, he launched himself at an unsuspecting Robin.

And the rest was a blur . . .

Gisbourne . . . grabbing Robin so easily it made him look light . . . raising him above his head . . . Robin, fighting fiercely until the last minute . . . and then . . . falling.

It took all three of them, plus a random, trusty Locksley citizen, to hold her back. Looking back, she could have considered her actions to be . . . Well. Yes. Not the best.

'No!' she recalled her own voice crying out. 'No, no - John, stop it - Much, back OFF! I . . . I - no -'

Gisbourne had turned back in her direction breathlessly and had simply stared. John, Allan and Much had moved to make an almost 'wall' around her, and as much as it seemed like a kind gesture; Marian considered it to be stifling.

The crowd of villagers thinned. Gossip was abuzz - 'Robin Hood's dead! Thrown off a cliff by Gisbourne – we're alone!' Marian gave up trying to break through the line of her 'protectors' and just . . . her mind seemed to give up.

Because, really . . . what did she have left to live for now? Her mother, gone . . . Father, dead . . . Robin . . . Robin murdered . . .

Gisbourne was a monster, and what was still biting away at her was that she had helped create him. She has played along with his 'fantasy' of them someday being united . . . Manipulation, lies . . . euphemisms.

The funny thing was, her 'protectors' seemed to now be so focused on keeping Gisbourne out that she was left alone.

So she ran.

She ran deeper and deeper into the forest, plans formulating quickly. She was verging on hysterical. And she was so in love it physically hurt because Robin was gone, and all because of her doing. It was just like her father . . . She shouldn't have been so selfish. Robin's death was her own fault; if she hadn't . . . If she hadn't . . .

Oh, she was just so confused.

She found a tree – a nice, big, lone tree, in the centre of a clearing, and so she sat down, clutching her knees and trying to tame her sobs. The last time she had thought Robin to be dead . . . Yes, that had been terrible. But then there was hope of him not really being dead, and right now . . . Well. She had seen him fall.

Her eyes never left her ring and she clutched her finger in her other hand, as though that would somehow fix everything.

How long had they been married? Not long enough.

'I am sorry to disturb you.'

It had been a while; the sky was teetering on the edge of complete darkness and tears still flew down her cheeks as if racing one another.

A glance up told her quickly who it was - not John, Allan nor Much - not even Gisbourne. It was the tall, important man from the fight, a bemused look as his expression. But Marian didn't care about any of that. Because Robin was dead . . . and it was all her fault.

'Go away.'

'No.'

Marian glanced back up at the man, momentarily surprised, but didn't say anything as she looked back down.

'Marian?'

She looked up again, but this time it stuck. She was surprised, but not enough so to drag her out of her newfound depression.

'How do you - do you work for the Sheriff? Or do you work for Gisbourne?'

'No,' said the man, crouching down so he was at her level. Marian found that she was leaning away slightly, uneasy with the whole situation. 'No, I don't. I work for no-one. I have simply heard of you.' He sighed and examined her face carefully, but kept his distance. 'You are Lady Marian of Knighton. The woman Robin Hood loves.'

'He's dead,' Marian said bluntly, eyes stinging. She said it with such force that she even hurt herself; it was like a blow to the stomach. 'We can't bring him back.'

'What if,' said the man, pressing his hands together, 'I told you that I _could_ bring him back?'

Marian stared, unsure of this man and everything he said. But . . . he was a man of God, wasn't he? Could she trust him? The rest of the gang would probably be worried. They had no idea where she was. She had just left . . . but Robin - Maybe they would be too indisposed to notice. Much certainly would be.

'Who are you?' she asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously as she drew herself up slightly.

'My name,' said the man, smiling slightly as he stood up and offered her a hand to take, 'Is Friar Tuck.'

She took his hand and he pulled her up. Even if he did turn out to be a murderer or was working for the Sheriff . . . well. She had nothing to lose anymore, did she? And maybe she deserved that – maybe she deserved death. After the things she had done . . . she had all but killed Robin herself.

'Come with me,' said Friar Tuck firmly.

She opened her mouth, hesitating for just one second. But then the image of Robin, dead at the bottom of a waterfall, came to mind and she nodded.

And she went with him.

* * *

Bada bing, bada boom.

Please review! Love you all :) xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry! It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, my Robin Hood obsession has resurfaced which means much more frequent updates (wow, that was outstanding grammar, wasn't it?) for you :) I hope you like this chapter - I really do hate season 3, by the way, so expect a lot of changes :)

* * *

Tuck led her to a cave, a cave which just so happened to be the same one she had 'died' in just over a year ago.

She looked around disdainfully as they entered and he sighed, bending over a pile of ashes on the floor and blowing them away. Marian's eyes fell on the rock which had been her makeshift 'bed' at the time and the emotions just came rushing back. Eyes stinging fiercely, threatening to pour tears which would consume her, and she moved over to it, sitting down and putting a hand over her mouth as she tried to regain herself.

'Marian,' said Tuck's voice, not quite breaking into her reverie. He repeated saying her name a few times until she finally nodded, not making eye contact with him. 'I must leave you now.'

'What?' This did break her from her reverie. 'You can't! You said we would bring him back, what do you mean you're going to leave me?'

He crossed the cave in just a few strides and stood in front of her, expression stony.

'I am bringing him back,' he said. 'But you cannot see him until he is ready.'

'He's ready?' she exclaimed, eyes wild. 'As far as we know, he is dead. And if he's alive, he'll want to see me -'

'I know,' cut in Tuck, bending down to her level, just as he had done in the forest. Marian felt patronized just by his doing so. 'But what I mean is . . . he must recover first.' He straightened up slightly and Marian seethed. She was beginning to strongly dislike Friar Tuck. 'I will leave you for just a few hours. When I return, I will bring you food and water. Do not worry, Marian.'

He started to leave, Marian's hawk like gaze trailing him as he moved. As he reached the cave entrance, he stopped and turned back to her.

'Marian,' he said, fixing her with a weary look. He acted as though he had known her for such a long time . . . he had no right to boss her around like this. Marian had never been one for taking orders. But, just this one time, she would. Because this man was going to bring Robin back . . . he promised that he would.

'You must not leave the cave.'

I must not be told not to do anything, Marian thought, but didn't vocalize the idea. The last thing she needed was her only chance of getting Robin back turning on her.

'I won't,' she said, realizing just then how scratchy and hoarse her voice was.

Tuck nodded and left, leaving Marian alone on what had once been her deathbed.

**XXXX**

'Come on . . . I didn't come all this way for you to die on me before we'd even started . . .'

Robin remained as limp and as lifeless as he had previously been, with the exception of him now being a tad warmer from the fire. Tuck had drawn Robin's body from the river himself, and brought it to a cave not too far from the one he had left Marian in.

'Come on . . . Come on . . .'

Loud voices not too far from the cave seemed to echo and reverberate suddenly, and Tuck leapt up, making sure Robin was warm and secure in the blanket he had brought with him on his journeys.

'Where is he? Find that body!' a familiar voice bellowed.

Tuck wasn't the only one who heard it.

In her own designated cave, Marian was jolted by the bellows and roars of a man she had once thought she knew. It had been a few hours and Tuck wasn't yet back . . . Glancing around, Marian stood and edged out of the cave, eyes burning from the sudden attack of sunlight, something she felt like she hadn't seen in hours.

'Guy,' she muttered darkly. He had killed Robin . . . maybe that was why Tuck hadn't returned. He was too nervous to tell her that he was wrong and couldn't bring Robin back after all. Perhaps Marian was a fool for ever believing that he could.

She didn't need to wander for too long. She soon found Gisbourne, stood angrily confronting . . . wait, Tuck? Marian crept closer, hidden in the shadows of the trees - that was the best thing about the forest, there was always a place to hide - and tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but with no avail.

'-I need to find him, that'll soothe my mind.'

Marian drew in a sharp breath and ducked behind a bush as Gisbourne turned and stormed away, leaving Friar Tuck alone. Marian stayed where she was, frozen to the spot as Tuck walked past her. However, the forest deceived her. A bird cried out just behind her and Tuck whipped around, laying eyes on Marian as he did so.

'Marian!' he hissed, stalking towards her as she straightened up, her chin raised out of pure defiance. 'I told you to stay in the cave. What are you doing?'

'I heard Gisbourne's shouts,' she said stubbornly, hand unconsciously reaching for the ring on her finger. 'I came out to see what was going on. Whether he'd . . .'

'Robin is safe,' Tuck said, nodding slowly.

Marian's chest seemed to dance; he was . . . _alive_? How was that even possible, he was dead . . . she had seen him killed . . . but he was alive, and she had to believe Tuck because the three words that he had just spoken and the ring she had on her finger were the only things she had left to cling onto. He was _alive_. She couldn't say it – or think about it – enough. But this – this wasn't enough. She had to see him, no matter what state he was in –

'No,' said Tuck shortly, appearing to read her mind. Marian frowned, aware of the tears of happiness threatening to emerge.

'And can you tell me why not?'

'Because I say that he is not ready.'

Anger soon took over the previous joy. Now that she knew – or had been told by a mysterious religious man who had seemingly appeared from no-where – that Robin was alive, she was free to feel other emotions again . . . her soul seemed to allow that now. And right now, she was feeling complete and utter anger.

'You have no right to keep me from him,' she said, her voice shaking out of not fear, but rage. 'I am his – I'm his wife.'

Tuck stared at her for a moment before reaching out and taking a hold of her left hand.

'What are you – let go of me!'

She tried to tug her hand from his grip but it was no use. He looked up at her momentarily before smiling apologetically.

'I need your ring, I'm afraid.'

'What?' Marian said, outraged. This man . . . he – she hated him! She had barely even met him and already she was channelling such anger in her mind, restraining herself from completely letting loose and just . . . just punching him, or something along those lines. 'Let – let go!'

It was no use. He had soon slid the ring that had previously been the king's off of her finger and it was clenched in his fist as Marian took a step towards him, eyes piercing into him.

'Give me back the ring, now.'

'I have to take it, I'm afraid. How else will Robin trust me when he comes around?'

'And what are you going to say?' Marian cried, and her voice was a couple of decibels louder than it needed to be. She knew that she should have been keeping quiet really – Gisbourne wouldn't be too far away and the last thing she needed was him coming and finding her; God knows what he would do. He had already tried to kill her once in the past few months. 'Won't he be the slightest bit suspicious of how you just so happen to have _my _ring, and I'm no-where in sight?'

'He'll understand,' said Tuck gravely, slipping the ring into his pocket and out of Marian's sight, 'When I tell him that you are with the rest of his 'gang'.' At the look on Marian's face, he sighed. 'Marian, you will see him soon enough. But he has just been thrown from a _cliff_. He doesn't need any distractions in getting better, and you will most certainly be a distraction.'

A _distraction_? Did this man _know_ how temperamental Marian was right then-?

'Go back to the cave,' said Tuck, gesturing in its direction. Marian followed the bow of his head and had to admit, however much she hated to, that he was right. Perhaps she would be a distraction in Robin getting better – and she wanted and _needed _him to get better. Her anger and hatred towards Friar Tuck lessened a little and Marian resolved to not tell him that. It would be better to keep up the appearance of anger.

'Fine.'

'I will come back in a few hours with food.'

'Fine,' she repeated.

He observed her for a moment before nodding, seeming satisfied.

'Robin Hood makes fine choices in women. You have spirit.'

This time, she said nothing. Fine choices in women? She had almost just gotten her husband killed. She didn't voice this as Tuck nodded again, turned, and left her. She watched him go for a moment before returning to her self-proclaimed hell.

**XXXX**

_He had been falling . . . and then there had been pain. A lot of pain. And . . . he was still in pain. Where was he? What was going on – was this death? Was this all that was waiting for him –_

A sudden rush of air seeped into Robin of Locksley's lungs and he twitched before coughing, eyes shuddering open and closed, open and closed, until they finally remained open. He tried to sit up – where _was _he? – and failed as a hand was put on his shoulder, pushing him back down.

'Robin? Can you hear me?'

Who was it? John? Allan? It wasn't Marian – the voice was far too low – it was too low, again, for Much, and Will was . . . no. He remembered. The fight with Gisbourne and . . . Marian – where was Marian?

'Who are you?'

His voice could barely register as a whisper. The floor was hard and uncomfortable, and the fire and blanket combination as making him ridiculously warm, and he just wanted to get up and find the others – he needed to find Marian –

He had received no response, so he repeated his question.

'Brother Tuck.' He was a holy man? What was a man like him doing, helping an outlaw? 'Now - hold still.'

Robin didn't really register his words until he yanked on his arm and – it was pain beyond pain as his arm was jolted back into its socket. Where _was _he? What the hell was going on? Where were the others and, more importantly in Robin's mind, where was _Marian_? Another coughing fit swept over him as he adjusted to the pain and Tuck looked over him pityingly.

'Dislocated. I didn't want to touch it until you were awake.'

He looked around, trying to make out his surroundings. His senses were focusing a little more . . . was he – was he in the cave? No. This cave was different. This was the smaller cave, the one where the water and the rain got in easily. They had rarely ever used this cave . . . why weren't they in the bigger one, the one where Marian had – No. No, he didn't really want to go in there. He was suddenly glad that they weren't.

'I didn't kill him, did I?'

Brother Tuck said nothing, confirming what Robin had thought and really known to be true. Robin closed his eyes and tried to calm his nerves. This whole situation was awry. Where _was _everyone? Had they -? Had Gisbourne got them, too? Had Gisbourne got Marian?

'Well then I have to find him –'

He tried to sit up, intent on getting changed and finding and killing Gisbourne, finding Marian and the others . . . but Brother Tuck put a hand on his shoulder again and pushed him back down.

'Whoa, no, you're not going anywhere. Be still.'

'You'd best let me up,' Robin said, putting on his toughest and most threatening voice and expression. He was going to find them and kill Gisbourne.

'I said . . . be _still_!'

There was a blow to the face and Robin Hood blacked out again.

**XXXX**

When he next came around, he was tied to a rock and every inch of his body ached.

Something smelled good and for a moment he thought he was back at a camp, that Much was making breakfast and everything was alright . . . but no. Then he remembered that he was, in fact, tied to a rock and that Brother Tuck was practically holding him hostage.

'You knocked me out,' he accused Tuck as he spoke to him. Even _speaking_ seemed to hurt.

'Yeah,' Tuck confirmed, smiling as though he found this incredibly amusing. Tuck's smile seemed to fuel Robin's inner anger and that urge to find Gisbourne and _kill _him took over yet again. 'Here,' he said, shoving a spoonful of broth into Robin's face. 'Drink this.'

Robin did so and immediately spit it out, face blank.

'You want to starve? Fine - I don't think your wife will be very happy that I let you do so, though.'

What? 'Marian? You've seen Marian?'

His interest was caught and Tuck seemed to sense this, turning away with a satisfied expression.

'Maybe.'

'You had better tell me,' said Robin, voice low and dangerous again. He didn't care if Tuck punched him . . . again. But now he knew that Marian was, at least, not dead.

'I've seen her,' Tuck confirmed, back to Robin.

'I don't believe you.' Robin hoped that in his search for proof, Tuck would take him to Marian, or bring her to him, but . . . no. Instead, he pulled out something from his pocket, something small and shiny; it was glittering in the firelight. Robin's pupils narrowed and then widened as he realised what it was.

'Marian's ring –'

'She gave it to me,' Tuck confirmed, slipping it into his pocket. Robin's eyes darted back up to meet his and he struggled against the ropes binding him to the rock. It was no use. There had to be at least five knots in his 'cage'. 'She gave it to me just before she was captured.'

'Marian was –'

'Ssh,' said Tuck, trying to feed him more broth. Robin moved away again and so Tuck sighed, turning his back on him and heading towards the fire. 'She was captured,' he continued, 'by the Sheriff's men.' The Sheriff? But now Gisbourne could get to Marian, and if he could get to Marian then -

'Well we have to get her –'

'No, you won't be getting her back; at least, not for a while.'

'What?' Robin demanded. 'I don't appreciate being tied up by a complete stranger and then told who I can and cannot see or rescue! Let me _go_, NOW.'

Tuck turned back to him, amusement lighting up his eyes whilst the rest of his face remained impassive.

'I will when you have recovered.'

**XXXX**

Marian was on the verge of finding Tuck and stabbing him.

Perhaps she wouldn't be so violent – killing was rarely ever her style after all – but her anger had been piqued again by this stranger of a man. He had been true to his word and returned not too long ago with food for her – broth – and news of Robin's recovery.

'He awoke,' he had confirmed, lingering by the cave entrance. 'But he would not co-operate and so he is now asleep again.'

Marian put aside her food and stood up, arms folded.

'You knocked him out?'

'Yes, I did.'

Marian grinded her teeth and gestured to the broth. 'I'm not drinking this. Let me see him.'

'Yes, you are drinking it,' corrected Tuck, seeming completely calm with the whole situation. 'And yes, you will see him. But not right now. When he was recovered.'

_When he was recovered_.

What did he _mean _by that? He had woken up, hadn't he? Wasn't that enough of a recovery for him? And what was he doing, taking Robin like he had a right to? Marian was gracious to Tuck for finding and rescuing him when she and, surely, the gang would have taken him for dead but – the gang! What had actually happened to them? She had just disappeared; would they be looking for her? Or would they be too caught up in mourning their leader?

Questions milled around in Marian's head and she sat back down on the stone bed, tossing aside her now empty bowl of broth. She had drunk it, despite her insistences to Tuck that she would not. He had brought her a blanket when she had visited and told her to get some sleep, but she wouldn't.

She couldn't.

* * *

Expect an update soon - I mean in a few days kind of soon! Please leave me some lovely, beautiful reviews to feed my Fan Fiction addiction (:


	4. Chapter 4

Update!

Thank you all for reviewing (:

* * *

Considering how he was Robin Hood, it was inevitable that he was going to escape Tuck's clutches at some point.

Even with his dodgy arm, he managed to toss Tuck to the floor and stagger out of the cave. But being injured was taking its toll, and practically seconds after stumbling into the midst of two of the Sheriff's guards he was weak and on the floor. _So much for getting revenge on Marian's capture_, he thought. But Tuck, it turned out, was a good fighter, and despite his second attempt at escape merely seconds later, he failed to get anywhere.

'Let me go.'

'No.'

He wasn't tied up anymore but he may as well have been. His arm seemed to be on fire and he couldn't help but clutch at it irrationally. _The legend of Robin Hood was crumbling and he may as well let it. He just wanted Gisbourne dead and a life with Marian._ When he voiced these thoughts to Tuck, the older man seemed aghast.

'Just give me one hour to change your mind.'

And considering how this man had saved his life twice now, he gave him that.

**XXXX**

Robin was taken to Locksley, where they found chaos. Gisbourne was in the midst of it all, and Robin found himself hoping that the gang would just . . . just _appear_, somehow, and with Marian amongst them. But nothing happened and all that did was that he saw that England was in fact falling apart – it was just what Tuck had wanted him to see.

He let himself slumber at the end of the day, keeping himself going with the confidence that _tomorrow, _he would save Marian. He would find the others and perhaps everything could be OK again.

He didn't notice when Tuck slipped out of the cave and into the night, clutching Marian's ring in his hand.

**XXXX**

Marian was getting ridiculously frustrated now. It had been a day. One whole day of being stuck and isolated in a poxy, _poxy _cave – Tuck had promised to return and see her later, but her trust and reliance on him was deteriorating somewhat. She had just started to actually consider sleeping when Tuck returned, calling out, 'Marian?' into the resonant darkness. The light of the flames Marian had managed to start projected Tuck's shadow onto the wall and she leapt up, mind suddenly whirring into action.

'What's going on? Can I see him now?' She spoke to Tuck before she could even see him properly. When he emerged, he said nothing and simply held out her ring, gesturing for her to take it, which she did. She frowned questioningly as she slid it back onto her finger. The cold metal made her feel more secure than she had done in months.

'Tuck? Can I see him?'

He didn't say or do anything for a moment before he nodded. Marian let out an exhale and a smile that she didn't know she had been holding in and made to leave the cave before Tuck put a hand on her arm cautiously.

'Marian,' he said. 'He is sleeping. You can see him but you must not wake him. He is not –'

'Not ready?' cut in Marian, a tad resignedly. She was already used to Tuck after just one day with him. 'I know.' She would take seeing Robin comatose than not seeing him at all. She tugged her arm away from Tuck and started to walk.

When they entered the cave she found herself crying all over again. Perhaps it was the effect of having travelled for months and never having a good night's sleep, but she knew that it was just the sight of him . . . he looked _dreadful_. Covered in bruises and cuts and . . . his arm just didn't look right somehow. But he was there and he was alive and he was breathing – she made to move towards him, to do what she didn't know, and Tuck put out an arm to stop her.

'No.' His voice was sharp. 'You can't. He is recuperating, Marian. Let him recover.'

She said nothing because she knew that, deep down, he was right. But she did push past him, raising her eyebrows in response to Tuck's series of insistent and obstinate hisses. She raised a finger to her lips and crouched down beside Robin's sleeping form. He always did manage to look so much younger when he slept. But right now, his eyes were shut tight and he looked troubled.

'Marian –'

'Ssh,' she hissed in response. Tuck frowned at her as she kissed the side of Robin's head as he slept, one of the only spots that didn't look like it had just been trampled by a horse.

'_Marian.'_

She froze as he spoke in his sleep and Tuck seemed to take this as crossing the line. He took two steps over to Marian, crossing pretty much all of the cave, and half dragged, half helped her up.

'Marian, you have to go now.'

'But I –' she stopped herself and looked away from Robin, who was still sleeping soundly. 'I know,' she admitted eventually.

'You don't have to go to that cave.'

'I wasn't aware that I had to have your permission to leave it,' she shot back. She looked at him boldly, lips pursed into a thin line. Now that she had had her chance to see Robin and know that he was definitely, _definitely_ alive and _there_ . . . she didn't have to put up with Tuck anymore.

'I suppose you will be heading back to your camp?'

Marian froze. She hadn't thought of that. Where _would_ she be going? She hadn't slept at the camp in so many months . . . but the gang – the gang would let her stay, wouldn't they? She had nowhere else to go in any case. And they would be thrilled when they heard that Robin was, in fact, alive and well and that she had seen him – or would they be angry that she had seen him and they hadn't . . . ? Tuck seemed to dissect her mental battle and nodded. Marian hadn't noticed that he had slowly been guiding her from the cave, she had been so lost in thought.

'I will go with you.'

'No,' Marian said hastily, stopping in her tracks. She brushed back a stray strand of hair – her hair was dirty and tied back carelessly, she would wash once back at camp – and shook her head. 'I can't. I don't have the right to just let a stranger into the camp.'

'If it's any consolation, I know where it is anyway and if I don't go with you now I will just come tomorrow morning.'

Astounded, that was how Marian ended up half guiding, half following Tuck back to camp. He hadn't been dishonest. He knew the way almost as well – perhaps even better at times – than she did. They rounded the final large tree that Marian knew to be the signalling point of nearing the camp, and they ran down the steeped bank so as to not _fall_ down it (another thing she had, in fact, done once before). It was fortunate that they had obviously dismantled the alarm as Marian forgot about it completely until they were entering the camp.

'Hello?' she called out cautiously. She glanced down and stepped carefully over a log. 'John? Much? All –'

'Marian!'

She caught a glimpse of a blur of green and she was suddenly swept up into a hug from someone she recognised to be Much. She couldn't help but laugh a little as he let go of her, a blush creeping onto his face.

'I – I am sorry,' he said, John and Allan coming into view behind him. 'But we thought – we thought you might be dead. And we thought – I thought – that we had failed Robin in keeping you alive . . . especially now that he is –' he broke off and turned away. John patted him on the back and Allan stepped forwards, pointing accusingly over Marian's shoulder.

'Hey, now!' he said, eyes narrowed. Marian looked back over her shoulder – she had forgotten all about Tuck after Much's sudden appearance. '_Who_ . . . is this? Marian, you –'

'This,' said Marian, fixing Allan with a stern look as Tuck took a few steps forwards, 'Is Tuck.' She could barely keep the smile off of her face as she added, 'The man who has found Robin and kept him alive.'

There was a silence. Much span around, a wild sheen in his eyes and John mouthed the word, 'Alive.' Allan seemed simply dumbstruck by the whole situation.

'He's . . . alive?'

'Alive,' Marian and Tuck confirmed.

Happiness seemed to spread between the gang as quickly as depression had previously trounced them.

'This is,' started Much, breathing in an exhilarated manner, 'this is . . . amazing! How did you -? Can we see him?'

'No.'

Marian cast a murky glance over in Tuck's direction before saying, 'He is not ready.'

Silence fell, beating the happiness in its quickness. Marian examined the expressions on each of the men in front of her's faces. It struck her that _they_ were her family now. She had shared so much with them already . . . other than Robin, they were the only ones she had left and could trust.

'But . . . hang on a minute,' said Allan, frowning at Marian, who saw the accusation in his eyes and did _not_ like it, not in the slightest. 'Why 'ave you seen 'im?'

Marian opened her mouth, a sharp and witty retort at the ready – Allan was her friend, yes. They had grown closer in the castle, yes. But that did not mean that she had fully forgiven him for his betrayal. Unsurprisingly, Much beat her when it came down to it.

'Marian,' he said, nodding at her with a slight smile and twinkle in his eyes, 'Is Robin's _wife_, Allan.'

Allan made a strange expression before shaking his head dismissively and turning so as to not make eye contact with her. Marian stared at him for a moment before letting it go. None of them were completely sane right then she reminded herself. The past few months had been full of emotional and physical turmoil for all of them.

'Robin,' said Tuck, speaking properly to the men for the first time, 'Would like to see you all very much, if it happens to be convenient.'

'You never told me this,' said Marian, now stood by John and facing Tuck.

'I was waiting to tell you all together.'

John threw Marian a confused look and she tossed him one that closely resembled an indignant 'I don't know' in return.

'Thank you, Brother!' exclaimed a joyous Much, who had bounded forwards to shake Tuck's hand enthusiastically. 'Thank you!'

Allan, stood on Marian's other side, did not seem as thoroughly convinced as John and Much. He made to speak but Marian elbowed him in the ribs and raised her eyebrows pointedly. She had spent the bulk of the day debating whether to trust Tuck or not herself; she most certainly did _not_ need Allan to bring those uncertainties back up for her.

'Tomorrow,' said Tuck, looking at them all with such extreme sincerity it was almost uncomfortable. 'Midday. Dead Man's Crossing.'

He made to leave and Marian called out his name, rushing towards him and tugging something off of her finger as she did so. Tuck seemed just as surprised as the others as she pressed her ring into his palm.

'Here,' she said, trying to calm her erratic breathing pattern. 'Give that to Robin.'

He stared at her, eyes dark and illegible before nodding. As he left and Marian turned back to the others Much started to laugh merrily and embraced John. Yet Marian couldn't help but watch Allan, who still looked dubious, and felt her own reservations rising up yet again.

* * *

I'll update soon!

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

_Dead Man's Crossing. Midday._

'This doesn't feel right,' murmured Allan as they walked, Marian leading the way.

'I've seen him, Allan,' she quipped. 'I know that he's alive. Tuck is a good man. He looked after me yesterday when –' she stopped herself and they lapsed back into silence, fighting through the trees and bushes down the path towards Dead Man's Crossing. They had been up for hours last night, all filling each other in on what had happened during the twenty four hours they hadn't seen one another. Marian was shocked to find out that Much had been caught, tortured and then released all within the space of a couple of hours . . . but, according to John, that was just how the gang functioned, and she had to get used to it.

'We're here,' John said brusquely, eventually. It seemed like an eternity had passed since they had set off from camp.

They entered the clearing of Dead Man's Crossing and Marian heard Allan call out behind her, 'Robin?' They all whipped around, Marian's newly washed and still wet hair rustling beneath her cloak hood. John had thought it best that she remained, to some extent, hidden. And it was a good job, too. Because the cloaked man who Allan had thought to be Robin whipped off his own cloak.

'Guy.'

She whispered his name in a way that was barely even registered as a whisper. Bitterness seemed to surge through her veins but it was soon overcome by panic as guards started to close in on them from behind.

'Marian, run!' hissed John through gritted teeth as they all huddled together, looking desperately for a way out. Marian's gaze swept across them all.

'No.'

She didn't move and John didn't press the matter – there wasn't enough time or space to press the matter. Guy knew it was her, Marian could tell by the way his expression twisted gruesomely.

'I hope you don't mind,' he said, lips twisting into a smirk as he advanced on them. 'I just came to pay my respects.'

_Being caught was just part of how the gang worked. _

**XXXX**

They had made all of this . . . and for _him_.

Robin was bent over his 'shrine', as Tuck had dubbed it. Villagers from Locksley, Clun, Nettlestone, and seemingly every other village in the Nottingham area had apparently been flocking here ever since 'it' had happened. The fact that they still cared, that he still mattered to them after all these months . . . his heart seemed to constrict painfully in his chest as his jaw tightened in resistance to emotion.

'I never knew that they felt like this,' he murmured, holding up a doll a child had made of him. Tuck was crouched down beside him and he could feel the focus of his eyes . . . he hated it. He hated how he had built himself up, only to tear himself down, and he had gotten all of these people so involved . . . _they_ must hate him, he realised.

'This is why God spared you, Robin. To give people hope.'

His jaws continued to grind and he looked down. God hadn't spared Djaq or Will. He had spared Marian though, twice . . . oh, Lord. Marian. What was he _doing_ to himself?

'I don't deserve this – I don't deserve any of it.'

Tuck was silent and when he spoke again, he said something that Robin had not expected in the slightest.

'The Sheriff has not only Marian but your friends, too.' Robin's head shot up, eyes weary and tired . . . he just wanted this all to stop. He wanted a life with Marian, he wanted a _normal life_ . . . he wanted King Richard back . . . he didn't want to _be_ Robin Hood anymore. He wanted to be Robin of Locksley once more. 'They are to be put to death tomorrow.' He was aware of Tuck watching him as he took a deep, shaky breath and put his head in his hands. No. This was all happening too fast . . . no. They couldn't die, _Marian _could not die. If anything was to go right in his world it was that – Marian would not die.

He hated himself as the next words slipped from his mouth, as easy as it was to breathe.

'What should I do?'

'What would Robin Hood do?'

And the thing was, he just didn't know.

**XXXX**

In all her life, Marian had never been locked in a cell in the dungeons of Nottingham Castle before. And she did not like it one bit.

Much was pacing, Allan was muttering and John was trying to break down the door. Marian, however, was sat at the back of the cell, trying to remain calm. Her head was screaming with the cries for help and of agony of the prisoners in cells around them. Much kept glancing at her every now and then, as if expecting her to suddenly crack or break down. But she wouldn't. Her father survived down here for months. If he could do it, she could. And she would.

Even though they were due to die tomorrow.

She tried to ignore that little detail. The dungeons were cold and they stank of blood and sweat and . . . death. Yes, they smelt distinctively of death. She tried not to shiver as she stared straight ahead, and as John gave up with charging at the door and sat down next to her she smiled grimly.

'Today is a good day to die?'

'No,' he said solemnly. 'No, it's not.'

Marian nodded, sighing as she tried to face the fact that even John seemed to have given up. The only thing that was keeping her calm was that Robin _was _alive, even if the others didn't believe it any more. They thought that Marian had been hallucinating, or worse, _lying_. She tried to ignore that mistrust.

'I believe you,' said John, voice low and gruff. He seemed uncomfortable but Marian sympathised with him – she understood John better than she did the others some of the time. 'Robin's alive. I can feel it. And he'll save us.'

Marian nodded again, looking John straight in the eyes and giving a sad, small smile.

'He'll save us?'

'He'll save us,' John confirmed. He reached down for her hand – her left hand that was right now devoid of her wedding ring – and waved it in her face. Marian couldn't help but let her smile expand as John watched her; eyes amused, and put her hand back down.

'Robin will move heaven and Earth to get you, Marian.'

Her mind flashed back to a time when Will had told her exactly the same thing – when the Sheriff had gone astray and Robin was their only hope and she had believed, right then, that Guy did in fact have a soul, and a good one, too – and her stomach was unsettled. Nobody had saved Will and Djaq. Will and Djaq were dead. And perhaps they, too, would soon be joining them.

'Hello, boys!'

Marian leapt up, John following suit at the sound of the Sheriff's voice. He sounded so gleeful and smug . . . Marian crossed to join Much and Allan at the front of the cell and the Sheriff seemed even more delighted by her appearance.

'And the leper returns!' he cackled, clapping his hands together in elation. 'Excellent, excellent . . . well – how is your stay at À la Dungeon suiting you, hmm?'

'Not too bad,' said Allan tonelessly. 'We seem to have missed out on the welcoming glass of mead.'

Marian recognised the triumphant look in Allan's eyes – it was the way she had often felt when hearing the Sheriff and Guy discuss the Nightwatchmen's latest escapades. The Sheriff laughed and moved on, pacing in front of the bars. He would smirk at Marian every time he passed her and she glared back at him firmly. She had survived a trip to the Holy Land. She could survive Vaisey.

'Now,' he said, tilting his head as he came to a halt and looked at Marian, 'To keep you up to speed with my schedule, I –'

John's hand lurched through the bars and he tried to grab the Sheriff, who simply stepped back with a mocking expression on his face.

'Grr,' he said scornfully, looking John up and down before resuming his previous activity of stalking up and down in front of them. 'Anyway; there is a ceremony, coming up tomorrow to mark the final passing of your chief – and, as I've heard, _husband_,' he added, shooting the remark in Marian's direction, 'And to think I wasn't invited to the wedding! Tut, tut.'

'I do love a good execution,' quipped Allan sarcastically. The surge of pride came easily to Marian.

'Well,' said the Sheriff, peering down his nose at Allan as he stood in front of him, 'This is very fitting, is it not? Your last night on Earth and you get to spend it with your old friends . . . and Hood's widow! Oh, it's all very romantic, isn't it?'

'You are despicable,' Marian spat. The Sheriff smiled at her mockingly, golden teeth glinting. Marian was trying to reign in her anger – she could think of many more harmful insults than 'despicable' – but the only thing she did happily keep loose in her mind was that Robin was alive; and she knew it, and the Sheriff and Gisbourne didn't.

'So I have heard,' Vaisey replied, reaching out to stroke her cheek. Marian leaned back and his smile was wiped away by a patronising smirk.

'Have a nice death,' he said, before practically bouncing away, full of cheer.

**XXXX**

It hadn't been an easy feat, but Robin had admitted his wrongdoing to Tuck, and informed him of his plans to rescue Marian, his men and – ultimately – England. Tuck's response had been less than cheering.

'Really? All alone?'

'Well,' shot back Robin sourly, sitting down on a log, 'Unless you've got a better idea, yeah. Alone.'

Robin Hood was not in the best of moods. It's funny how that happens when news of your wife and friend's impending death is delivered upon you so bluntly.

'Well,' replied Tuck, making fun of Robin's previous words, 'Actually, I do.'

'Oh, do you?' said Robin sarcastically. 'Wonderful. Are you going to tell me?'

Tuck's idea of telling him was heading out, deep, deep, deep into the forest and sitting with a perfect view of Nottingham and the surrounding villages. It was a sight to behold and usually, under any other circumstances, Robin would have enjoyed it. But not then . . . tomorrow, he had to save his wife, best friends and re-establish Robin Hood once and for all. His form of anger and frustration ventilation was trying to make some new arrows; something that was failing pretty miserably.

'Give it to me.'

Resting his head – which felt like it weighed a ton – on one hand, he shoved his miserable attempt at an arrow towards Tuck.

'This is hopeless,' he admitted.

'Your best chance for success tomorrow is rest.'

'And what chance do I have?' Robin said bitterly, looking up at the sky. 'I can hardly sharpen an arrow, let alone fire one. Hey?'

'Have faith, Robin,' said Tuck gently. It did nothing to soothe Robin's qualms. What if this all went wrong? What if they all just died? What if Marian died? And it was all because he, Robin of Locksley, was too proud to not go after Gisbourne. If he had just let things be . . . things would be so much better. 'You will not be alone.'

Robin didn't look until Tuck's fist was pushed under his face. What he saw made his eyes widen with shock and he snatched the item from Tuck's grasp, quickly.

'How did you get this?' he asked, staring at it in his hands before clasping them together and pressing his lips to the top of them.

'Marian,' said Tuck simply.

His head shot around accusingly. 'You saw her? Why didn't I see her?'

'She saw you,' said Tuck, looking away from him and out towards the moon. 'She came to see you last night. I said you needed your rest. You needed – and still need to – recover.'

Robin was silent.

'But . . .' he said slowly, trying – and failing – to meet Tuck's eyes. 'You said she was captured yesterday?'

Tuck waved a dismissive hand. 'Complications; I heard that your friends escaped and were then re-captured. A tricky business, being in Robin Hood's gang, is it not?' Robin accepted the story and looked back down at his clasped hands and let out a breath of air that wasn't really a sigh, but more like a submissive acceptance. She was OK – or at least for now she was, anyway.

'What happens to the moon tomorrow,' Tuck said suddenly, obviously intent on changing the subject and on raising Robin's spirits, 'Happens once in a generation. It's God's gift from the stars.'

'My father used to say that when we die,' started Robin, looking up at the stars again without any hesitation, 'we become stars. If it's true, this time tomorrow _we _could be lighting up the night sky.' Djaq and Will . . . they had to be two of the brightest stars up there. And if Marian died with him tomorrow . . . she would be the brightest star that there was.

'That's a glorious thought.'

Robin turned to Tuck and smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever.


	6. Chapter 6

Oh my god. I actually suck. It took me _half a year _to update . . . Gawd, I am such an epic fail . . .

Anywho, here's the next chapter for you. I should update soon. If I don't, feel free to send me private messages of death treats. I'm surprised nobody did in those six months . . .

Love you!

* * *

They were bound, by the hands, and all by each other's sides.

'I don't want to die,' whispered Much. 'This is it . . . we'll be with Robin. We'll all be dead –'

'He's alive, Much!' Marian hissed back in response, sick of repeating the same thing over and over. 'He's alive and he will _save _us!' Her hair had been tied back by the jailer before they had departed the castle and been bound and trussed together. The Sheriff had said that he didn't want her hair covering up the "expression and highlights of death" on her face. Lovely.

'Yeah,' replied Allan, although his voice showed the cracks in his supposed bravery. 'He'll save us. He always does.'

The people of Nottingham were let in as the gates were raised. Marian felt eyes burning into her and the sting of humiliation had already started to settle in. This wasn't any usual hanging; the Sheriff was making an example of them. This execution was primarily for entertainment and, in Marian's case, revenge. She knew how long the Sheriff had wanted her death to come about. He had voiced his wistful ideas enough times. Two guards were wheeling something into the courtyard, covered in a sheet. Marian tried not to look at it – _he was going to come, he was going to come . . ._ They pulled back the sheet and Marian saw the spear attached to the machine . . . it was going to pierce one of them, and most probably the one in the middle first . . . and it just so happened that the Sheriff had insisted she be put in the centre of the group. . .

'What a great day!' exclaimed a familiar voice. Vaisey was stood upon the platform by the castle entrance and beaming like his birthday had occurred early this year. 'It is a great day for Nottingham, its people . . . and homeland security. To mark the death of the terrorist, Hood, we shall execute his little followers . . . prepare to fire.'

Vaisey continued to shout and yell and do whatever it was he was doing . . . Marian felt her stomach churning uncomfortably. Was this it now? Had she been wrong? Maybe she had been hallucinating . . . no. No, she had known it was Robin, it _was_ Robin.

'We're going to die.'

Nobody bothered to tell Much to shut up; it wasn't worth it. Marian personally welcomed as much noise as possible . . . if she was going to die, she didn't want it to be silent and morbid – she wanted noise, lots of noise like when she was growing up and – John and Much were struggling, Allan stuck on Marian's other side and unable to move. She got the hint and started to move also . . . to die, right there, in that way, would be humiliating, and she – she didn't want to die like this!

'FIRE!'

The spear was let off and John barrelled into Marian just in time – he knocked all three of them flying, him crashing into them as the spear shot into the wood behind them. They all tried to catch their breath as Vaisey laughed manically. Much was whimpering.

'At least it's not a dull death.'

Of course . . . it was Allan who said that. He would.

'_What?_' exclaimed Marian breathlessly, trying to stay as far away from the centre as possible. The only thing was . . . the more you tried to move away, the more someone else was pulled to the middle.

'They'll be talking about this for years.'

'Great,' said John sarcastically. 'Really, really _great_.'

Marian shushed them just in time to hear the Sheriff's last words – 'This time, make it flaming.'

'No,' she whispered, 'John, move – we need to move –'

'WAIT!'

Silence fell and a familiar cloak swished through the crowd . . . 'Tuck?' He made his way through the mass of people, pushing when necessary, and as he reached the Sheriff he raised a hand pointedly. Allan struggled.

'What's 'e think 'e's doing?' said Allan, trying to look around John. 'I mean . . . 'e got us caught once. Now what's 'e doin'?'

'He's a good man, Allan,' said Marian firmly. It was true that she had her doubts about Tuck . . . but he had saved Robin's life. And who knew what would have happened to Marian if she had lingered around in the forest for much longer. But he had sent them to Dead Man's Crossing; he had set them up.

'A last request, Sir Guy,' said Tuck, slipping off his hood as he approached the platform. 'Let us respect them and give them that.'

'Who are you?' said the Sheriff, sounding totally non-interested. Of course he wasn't. He was only interested in things when they involved power and death.

'Brother Tuck,' said Gisbourne, eyes fixed on Tuck. He hadn't looked at Marian; not once. 'We can trust him, my Lord. He is the one who tipped us off on Hood's men.'

'I wish to just offer them a chance of absolution,' said Tuck, nodding politely. John looked at Marian questioningly – she had suspected that the others were suspicious over her friendship with Tuck – and she shook her head dismissively. She had no idea what was going on; Tuck had never spoken to her of this.

'Fine,' drawled the Sheriff. 'But quick, quick . . . these men have got a hot date, and Lady Marian needs to celebrate with her husband in heaven.'

It was a good job that Marian was tied up. She had wanted to clock the Sheriff in the face for a while now. It was hard not to after living in the same castle as him for so long . . .

Tuck started to recite in Latin, and Marian was so transfixed in watching him that she nearly didn't notice their executioner setting fire to the spear head. Much elbowed her sharply, a whimper soon following, and her eyes settled on it uneasily. She was . . . she had no idea how she felt. Emotions seemed to have abandoned her. And it was . . . was it getting darker? How and why was it getting darker so quickly?

'Alright, alright . . .' cut in the Sheriff, interrupting Tuck's Latin chanting. 'That's enough of the nonsense. No amount of hullabaloo will save their blackened souls – FIRE IT UP!'

Their struggling had ceased, but as the attention was refocused on them, they began to struggle once more. Their breathing quickened and heightened . . . Much stood on her foot, but Marian didn't care, because the pain was nothing like the pain she would soon receive, she was sure of it -

Tuck had stormed into the middle of the crowd, sparks a flying and his voice booming around them. The scene was like a blur to them all. Gisbourne had drawn out his sword, the Sheriff was all but throwing a temper tantrum reminiscent to the ones Marian remembered Robin having in their childhood . . . Robin . . . she was going to die and leave him alive – why did things always have to go like this in their life?

'. . . The sky will darken and the sun will disappear!'

The sky was definitely darkening. But Marian was tied so that she couldn't twist her head as to see the sun. Her hands felt like they were on the verge of breaking apart . . .

'THERE! It's happening.'

Panic. Complete and utter panic broke out. People ran around, screams reverberated in the courtyard . . . Marian felt the pieces in her mind clicking together, but one piece was still missing – there was still something that she didn't understand . . . where was Robin and what had happened to him?

* * *

Love you, please don't hate me forever . . . please review! I'm so, so sorry for abandoning this! xoxo


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